12 of the best lume dial watches that might blind you in the dark
Borna BošnjakThe formula is simple. Lume is cool, so that must mean the more lume, the better. Rather than pointing out any potential flaws in my logic, here’s a roundup of the best full-lume dial watches that are currently available, covering different styles and price points, but offering more than enough night-time legibility.
A brief history of luminous watch dials
Murphy’s Law states, “A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.” In watch collecting circles this is invariably true, but the number of watches in a collection is likely proportionate to the mania of the addiction, rather than proportionate to how punctual the collector might be.
It also seems to be true that you need to know what time it is most urgently when you don’t have a clock nearby. This seems to happen generally at night, when you wake in a panic, disoriented and wondering how long till you need to get up for work, and you can’t see your alarm clock for the simple reason you only uncover it once you turn on the light. I like to think this was the problem the Swiss boffins were trying to solve when they started producing watches with luminescent dials, tired of the drowsy confusion in the middle of the night and determined to bring clarity to this midnight mire.
In reality, it was driven by the need for soldiers in WWI to have watches that were easy to read in low light. Initially, the chosen method for making it possible to read a watch dial in the dark was the highly toxic material of radium, applied by women working in factories. To have a brush fine enough to paint the markers, the women would lick the brush to a point, ingesting paint in the process they were told by the company was totally safe. When the women started developing anaemia and necrosis in the jaw due to radiation poisoning, litigation was brought against their employer, and the use of radium was slowly phased out. Replacements for radium included tritium (a radioactive substance that is significantly less dangerous), photoluminescent materials such as LumiNova and LumiBrite (used by most brands these days), and even electroluminescence used by Timex in its Indiglo dials.
Tissot PRX 40 205
As if the Tissot PRX didn’t have enough cool going on for it, Tissot went ahead and released this full lume dial variant in early 2023. The familiar 40mm size and slim case of the 40mm quartz variant combine with a soft white rubber strap with quick release spring bars, but it’s really that icey blue dial that pops. Unlike many lume dials, this one doesn’t feature that off-white, yellowish tint in normal light, rather presenting as a stark white. Hint hint – you can find this PRX in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: US$375, A$565
Signum Cuda Titanium
A microbrand in its infancy, the story of Signum is backed by the expertise of Kyle Schut, the man behind Straton Watch Co. Signum leaves behind the TV-style cases and brown palettes of the 1970s, opting for bold, modern designs that are most obvious in the Cuda Titanium Full Lume. Touted as sporting some of the best lume in recent years, the neon trio is a formidable force, especially considering the price point. Price: US$449
Citizen Promaster Aqualand Depth Gauge
Citizen’s Promaster range is all about utility, and there’s nothing more utilitarian than a diver equipped with a depth gauge and a two-tone full lume dial. With big indices and pseudo-cathedral hands glowing in blue against the glowing green of the dial, its quartz movement, ISO-certified diver’s rating and extra piece of strap to fit over your wetsuit, this is pretty much the ultimate diver’s tool. Price: US$550 (currently on sale for US$440)
Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver GMT
Not only is the Devil Diver GMT a retro-flavoured home run, but it also sports one of the most affordable “true” GMT movements on the market, courtesy of corporate owner Citizen that also has Miyota under its umbrella. The hour markers are especially cool, taking the form of translucent crystal cylinders that reflect the ghostly green glow of the lume around them. Price: US$1,295
Zodiac x RedBar Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver
Leave it to a bunch of watch nerds to come up with the nerdiest watch possible. Zodiac, already a brand mostly underappreciated by the general public, teamed up with RedBar to collaborate on its most capable diver, resulting in this Red Point Series-inspired Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver. Categorised as out-and-out tool watches during Willy Monnier’s tenure, the red dot on the dial also naturally ties into the RedBar co-branding, with the icy blue glow tying the whole thing together. Price: US$2,295, available from the Time+Tide Shop
Doxa SUB 300 Carbon Whitepearl
As if the Doxa Carbon already wasn’t a cool enough watch, the two-tone full-lume dial is sure to help the already excellent legibility of the SUB 300. Alongside the lumed dial, you get an excellently wearing 42.5mm forged carbon case, 300 metres of water resistance, and a COSC-certified Sellita SW200. Price: US$4,090, A$6,890, available from the Time+Tide Shop
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Night Diver
Part of the headlining release of the redesigned Aquaracer Professional 300, the Night Diver recalls the blacked-out and lumed-out models of the 1980s. With bicolour lume and black markers that contrasted against the glowing backdrop, it’s another example of TAG Heuer taking the correct amount of inspiration from its back catalogue, while avoiding unnecessary campiness. Price: US$4,100
IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces
Given the recent news, you may have expected a different IWC to make this list, but seeing as the Ceralume is still just a prototype, the Pilot’s Watch Black Aces is its natural replacement. Created as a tribute to watches specially made for Strike Fighter Squadron 41 members, also known as the Black Aces, this ceramic-cased timekeeper houses the ValFleurier-produced IWC 32100 movement, sharing some specs with Baume & Mercier’s Baumatic, including the five-day power reserve. Price: US$6,800
Bell & Ross BR-X5 Green Lum
Okay, this might be cheating just a little, but given Bell & Ross’ track record with lume watches and the unique proposition of BR-X5 Green Lum, I think we can afford it some leeway. Cased in a quartz fibre composite the brand calls LM3D, it houses a Kenissi-made movement, and I’d guess a fully lumed dial version is not too far away. Price: US$13,300
Sarpaneva Midnight Sun
While many other watches on this list do their best to offer enhanced legibility by way of their lumed dials, the design briefs at Stepan Sarpaneva’s workshops are often a little different. The Finnish watchmaker prefers to use lume as an artistic tool, completely transforming his signature designs in low-light conditions. The Midnight Sun is the latest development, inspired by the warm orange glow emitted by the Sun close to the North Pole, when there is little difference between day and night. While the illustration is courtesy of Toni Kysenius, the Midnight Sun was also contributed to by F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, who has collaborated with his countryman on a few occasions. Price (exc. VAT) : €19,000 (~US$20,550)
F.P. Journe Élégante 48mm Titanium
The Élégante represents the journey of its master perfectly. Starting off as a relatively unknown piece that incorporates a beautifully romantic take on modern quartz watchmaking, it has now become an object of desire for many collectors. The icy blue hue emanating from the instantly recognisable F.P. Journe dial serves as the quirk that tops off this curious quartz piece. Price: US$17,800
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold Lumen
Watches with lots of lume are oft-associated with divers and tool watches, and less so with haute horlogerie pieces. The German powerhouse turned this sentiment upside down with the 2010 release of the Zeitwerk Lumen, iterating through their catalogue and applying the same skeletonised, luminous treatment to multiple models along the way. The most notable of all, in my humble opinion, is the Datograph Lumen, recently updated with a Honeygold case and an “upgrade” to the Perpetual Tourbillon variant. And no, strictly speaking, it doesn’t have a dial at all, but with a watch like this, I’m prepared to make an exception.